Helicopter and Heinz's Plane Were Beyond Controller Area

Special to The New York Times

Published: April 8, 1991

PHILADELPHIA, April 7—
Federal investigators have said the collision between a helicopter and a small plane that killed Senator John Heinz and six other people occurred in airspace outside the responsibility of the air traffic controller.

The accident occurred Thursday in Lower Merion Township as the helicopter pilot and co-pilot were inspecting the plane's landing gear. Two children playing outside an elementary school below were killed by falling debris. Both pilots of the plane and the two helicopter pilots also died in the crash.

Brent Bahler, a spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board, said Saturday at a news conference that investigators had interviewed the air traffic controller at Philadelphia International Airport who guided the aircraft away from the airport so the helicopter could inspect the plane.

In that situation, Mr. Bahler said, it was up to the pilots to choose where to do the inspection, but he said investigators would be exploring why the pilots decided on the location they did. Beyond Controlled Air Space

It was not clear whether the air traffic controller had sent them out of the controlled air space around the airport, the terminal control area or T.C.A., which is almost six miles wide.

"Once the pilots are out the T.C.A., it is up to the pilots," Mr. Bahler said. "After the aircraft had each other in visual sight, air traffic control offered no further vectoring services to either aircraft. The aircraft were then on their own to conduct the maneuvers that would be consistent with their intentions. It was up to the crews to see and avoid each other during these maneuvers."

Mr. Bahler added: "The controller's role basically was once the aircraft had stated the intentions to visually check each other to facilitate those aircraft into a position where they could do that. And once they got outside the T.C.A. it was up to both aircraft to see and avoid each other."

He also said, "We know that air traffic control did not know that Senator Heinz was a passenger on board the Piper." Investigation Ends

The cause of the crash, which occurred in the Narberth neighborhood in suburban Philadelphia, is still not known. A final report establishing a cause could take six months to a year.

The investigators concluded documenting the wreckage on Saturday. They said Friday that their preliminary inquiry showed the helicopter's rotor struck the right wing of the plane.

Strike marks from the rotor were found on the plane's right propeller and wing, said Susan M. Coughlin, vice chairwoman of the safety board.

The right wing's landing gear was found apart from the main wreckage, which burned on impact near Merion Elementary School, Ms. Coughlin said.